Former police chief, officer, court clerk indicted on racketeering charges

WHITE, Ga. - A former police chief, police officer, and municipal court clerk are facing serious criminal charges in Bartow County.

Wednesday, a grand jury indicted former White Police Chief David King, Officer Blake Scheff and municipal court clerk Jane Richards on charges of racketeering.

The indictment states they had a plan and conspired together to illegally profit financially through their positions from August 2009 through December 2017.

The indictment states the three attempted to "extort individuals by threatening to take state warrants out on them for not accept city citations and pay fines". The indictment also says the three had a "citation scheme that involved issuing city citations and demanding high fines and fees".

Other charges include theft by taking, theft of services, false imprisonment and trying to destroy records to cover up the evidence.

"They probably took a lot of people money who need their money and they're living high and mighty off of us," said Patricia Smith who lives in White.

While King is no longer chief, his name is well known in the city. He's currently running for mayor and his campaign signs are seen all over town.

"I can't believe he's running for mayor, with all these charges. We couldn't believe it," said Steven Dowdy who lives in White.

"It's a black eye toward the city, it really is," said Jerome Warren.

Warren owns "J's Simply Soul" restaurant in White. He's hoping somehow the city can get past this.

"I pray we can all get together on one accord and move forward, not backward, but forward," said Warren.

King, Scheff, and Richards turned themselves in at the Bartow County jail on Wednesday afternoon. They all bonded out a few hours later.